Portable container for cleanly storing a loofah puff

ABSTRACT

A portable container for cleanly containing a loofah puff in the form of a contoured sleeve. One end of the sleeve is open allowing the loofah puff to be put in or removed from the container. The opposite end is substantially closed with a central hole through which a loofah puff cord can be pulled to draw the loofah puff into the sleeve. The cord is left exposed so the container with the loofah puff inside can be hung by the cord if desired. The shape of the sleeve tends to bias the loofah puff in an ideal orientation for folded compression as the loofah puff is drawn into the container and uses the elasticity of the loofah puff to hold it within the sleeve once it is drawn all or most of the way into the sleeve. A lid closes the open end of the sleeve when desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view illustrating a personal care deviceaccording to an implementation of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a set of componentsforming the personal care device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view showing the personal care device ofFIG. 1 illustrating a manner of pulling a loofah puff into a portableloofah puff container.

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the loofah puffoperatively stored inside a portable loofah puff container of thepersonal care device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view showing the personal care device ofFIG. 1 illustrating a manner of pulling the loofah puff out of theportable loofah puff container.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view illustrating the loofah puffoperatively stored inside the portable loofah puff container of thepersonal care device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7A is a front elevation view showing placement of a personal caredevice of the present disclosure on a shower shelf to cleanly and neatlycontain the loofah puff between uses.

FIG. 7B is a front elevation view showing a personal care device of thepresent disclosure suspended by a loofah cord loop of the loofah puff tocleanly and neatly contain the loofah puff between uses.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the portable loofah puff containerof FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the portable loofah puff container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the portable loofah puff container of FIG.1.

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the portable loofah puff container ofFIG. 1, the right side view being the same as the left side view.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the portable loofah puff container of FIG. 1,the rear view being the same as the front view.

FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of the portable loofah puffcontainer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of a lid adapted to cover the portableloofah puff container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 top view of the lid of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the lid of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a left side view of the lid of FIG. 14, the right side viewbeing the same as the left side view.

FIG. 18 is a front view of the lid of FIG. 14, the rear view being thesame as the front view.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the lid of FIG. 14 attached to theportable loofah puff container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 20 is an exploded bottom perspective view of portable loofah puffcontainer and lid of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a front elevation view illustrating an alternate personalcare device according to another implementation of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 22 is a top perspective view illustrating the loofah puffoperatively stored inside an alternate portable container of thealternate personal care device of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view illustrating a loofah puff according to animplementation of the present disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a front elevation view of the loofah puff of FIG. 23, therear view being the same as the front view.

FIG. 25 is an enlarged detail view of 25 of FIG. 24 illustrating anelongated looped cord of the loofah puff of FIG. 23.

FIG. 26 top view of the loofah puff of FIG. 23.

FIG. 27 is a left side view of the loofah puff of FIG. 23, the rightside view being the same as the left side view.

FIG. 28 is a bottom view of the loofah puff of FIG. 23.

FIG. 29 is a top view of an alternate personal care device according toan alternate implementation of the present disclosure showing thegeneral shape of its top wall and a central hole in that top wall.

FIG. 30 is a front elevation view of the portable loofah puff containerof the personal care device of FIG. 29 revealing the front profile ofthe throated shape of a sleeve which provides the main body of theportable loofah puff container.

FIG. 31 is a bottom view of the personal care device of FIG. 29.

FIG. 32 is an elevation view of the personal care device of FIG. 29illustrating a manner of pulling the loofah puff into the portableloofah puff container.

FIG. 33 is an elevation views of the personal care device of FIG. 29illustrating a manner of pulling the loofah puff out of the portableloofah puff container.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the portable loofah puff container ofpersonal care device of FIG. 29.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing an alternate lid attached to aportable loofah puff container having a first end modified to form asnap-fit engagement with the alternate lid, according to animplementation of the present disclosure.

FIG. 36 is a top perspective view of the alternate lid of FIG. 35.

FIG. 37 is a bottom perspective view of the alternate lid FIG. 35.

FIG. 38 is a front view of the alternate lid of FIG. 35.

FIG. 39 is a sectional view through the section 39-39 of FIG. 37.

FIG. 40 is a sectional view through the section 40-40 of FIG. 35.

FIG. 41 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for the personalcare device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates generally to personal care devicesincorporating loofah puffs for use while bathing or showering and toportable containers adapted to contain the loofah puffs between uses.Loofah puffs (also known as “shower puffs” or “body poufs”) are personalcare articles for gently scrubbing the body and exfoliating loose skincells during bathing. Loofah puffs are commonly made out of a nettedsynthetic material, which is gathered into looped sections to form agenerally spherical shape. The netted synthetic material forming themesh is commonly a durable polyethylene plastic or similar lightweight,resilient, and water-resistant composition. Although commonly formedfrom plastic, puffs are also available in forms made from crochetedcotton and even from spherically-shaped pieces of the fibrous core ofthe tropical loofah fruit from which the original “loofah” name isderived. Regardless of the selected material, loofah puffs commonlyinclude a single nylon cord loop tied at the center of the puff, so thepuff can be easily hung for drying after each use.

Loofah puffs are used daily by countless individuals throughout theworld. During use, a user may wet the puff, apply soap, and use thearticle to clean their bodies. When they are finished bathing, theyoften hang the loofah puff from its cord, to allow the article to be airdried. Such use is acceptable when the puff is used in a bathing areaused by one person only; however, tidiness and hygienic-contaminationconcerns arise when other individuals share the same bathing area. Aneed for a protective container to safely and conveniently store aloofah puff between uses clearly exists.

Another problem with loofah puffs arises when a person travels. Loofahpuffs are particularly useful for showering, but can be problematic topack in a suitcase or travel bag. Stuffing a loofah puff into a nook orcranny of a suitcase puts the loofah puff in an environment surroundedby bacteria. Moreover, if the loofah puff is still wet when packed, itcan transfer moisture to other items in the suitcase. Travelers, hence,cope by either leaving their loofah puff at home, or put up with thecleanliness and wetness issues, as there has never been an ideal way toaddress such problems.

Once a loofah puff is exposed to foreign contaminants, its spongymoisture-retaining construction makes it a potential breeding ground forbacteria. The shower environment itself tends to be warm and humid,which further supports bacterial growth. If the loofah puff is not driedproperly, bacteria can spread to the body during the next shower orbath. The resulting health risks are not only significant, but theuncertain cleanliness also gives a loofah user an uneasiness every timethey use a loofah puff, particularly if they feel it might have beencontaminated. Granted, associated sanitary risks are manageable when thepuff remains in a single bathing facility used by only a single person,but the risks of cross-contamination escalate when more than one personuses the facility. Such risks are potentially even worse if the puff isbeing carried and used while traveling. As a result, even though loofahpuffs are used for cleaning the body, they are easily dirtied andcontaminated during traveling or when showers are used by multiplepeople. These and many other challenges will be evident to those ofskill in the art, particularly when contemplated in light of thefollowing disclosure.

Basic objectives of the present disclosure are to address the challengesof cleanly and neatly containing and managing loofah puffs. Thisincludes the objective to provide a safe and clean container forconsumers to store and transport their personal loofah puff. Relatedobjectives also include providing a container that is aestheticallypleasing, while also having features that facilitate easy and compactcompression of a loofah puff for tidy containment. It is also anobjective to make loofah puffs and their surrounding bathing areas moreappealing and clean in appearance. Another objective is to preserve andhelp keep loofah puffs clean. Still another objective is to provide aconvenient, affordable and useful containment system and method, perhapseven in a form that can be used as a premium gift for advertising,promotion or the like (particularly one that is well suited fordistribution by soap manufactures, hotels, lodges, and other places thataccommodate travelers).

Implementations of the present disclosure have been developed to helpaddress these and other objects in a manner that provides a safeenvironment to cleanly store a loofah puff when it is not being used.Most such implementations include a small, lightweight, portablecontainer, constructed of polyethylene or other thermoplasticcomposition. Loofah puff containers provided according to the teachingsof the present disclosure are generally elongate along a central axisthat tends to be vertical when a loofah puff is stored therein. Suchimplementations generally have side walls that are throated in amidsection of the container to help retain a compressed loofah insidethat container, despite the inherent tendency of a loofah to expand.

Such implementations may also have two openings: a larger loofah puffopening at one longitudinal end and a relatively smaller hole on theother end of the container through which a cord loop of the loofah puffcan be grasped and pulled to facilitate insertion of the loofah puffinto the container. The larger opening may be flared wide open for easyinsertion and removal of the loofah puff relative to the container. Theend opposite the wide-open end is generally closed, at least enough toblock the loofah puff from being easily pulled or pushed out that end.Despite the closed nature of the opposing end, the closed end has acentral hole that is relatively smaller than the loofah puff opening butlarge enough for one or two fingertips, through which the cord loop ofthe loofah puff can be grasped and pulled.

The various shapes and overall contour of the container works togetherwith the smaller central hole so that the loofah puff can then be neatlydrawn into the container by pulling on the loofah cord loop. This actionof neatly drawing the loofah puff into the container is easiest when theloofah puff is positioned next to the large opening, oriented so thatits cord loop hangs into the container and out through the central holeon the opposite end. As a secondary benefit of having the loop cordextend out of the central hole, the entire container can also be hung ina shower much the same as a loofah puff often is hung.

The combination of the larger, flared opening and the throated aspect ofthe sidewalls also gives the containers a stylish, contoured shape. Itis noted that the shapes of the walls provide more than just attractiveaesthetics. The resulting overall shape and its details also tend tobias the loofah puff in a surprisingly ideal orientation for foldedcompression as the loofah puff is drawn into the container. Then,because of the throated shape, once the loofah puff has been drawn intothe container most of the way, the elasticity of the loofah puff tendsto hold it within the container, despite its inherent tendency tore-expand. Implementations of the present disclosure may also have anend cap or lid to close the open end of the sleeve when desired. Thecombined features and overall functionality of such implementations makethem ideal for cleanly and neatly containing a loofah puff for dripdrying over a bath or shower basin and for cleanly storing the loofahpuff in luggage during travel.

It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and to the arrangements ofthe components set forth in the following descriptions or illustrated inthe drawings. The disclosure is capable of many other implementationsand of being practiced and carried out in numerous other ways. Also, itis to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed hereinare for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded aslimiting.

We now provide descriptions of how to make and use variousimplementations of the present disclosure. Alternative implementationsare also described in various respects, sometimes separately andsometimes amid a description about a primary implementation. The readershould understand that, whenever things are referenced directly orindirectly in these descriptions as alternatives, equivalents or thelike, those things may be substituted or combined in virtually anycombination where the other alternatives, equivalents or the like aredescribed, illustrated, or implied as being used. The reader shouldassume as much for all implementations, whether fully described or not,except perhaps to the extent that one of ordinary skill in the art wouldclearly recognize that such other combinations would not result in anyof the structure, functionality, objectives or purposes of thedisclosure as ultimately claimed.

Referring now to FIG. 1 through FIG. 34, parts of variousimplementations are referenced using like numerals for similar and/orpotentially equivalent components from one implementation to another,such that the numbering itself helps illuminate alternative componentsfrom one implementation to another. Although other alternatives arereferenced as well, the drawings generally illustrate implementationsrelating to personal care articles and related items. The primaryimplementations of the present disclosure are identified herein aspersonal care article 100, alternate personal care device 200, loofahpuff 240, and alternate personal care device 300. Personal care article100 is shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 20, alternate personal care device200 is illustrated in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, loofah puff 240 is shown inFIG. 23 through FIG. 28, and alternate personal care device 300 is shownin FIG. 29 through FIG. 34.

Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 20 showing a first implementation ofthe present disclosure, personal care article 100 comprises includeportable container 102 for loofah puff 140, lid 180 adapted toprotectively cap the portable container 102, and in some implementationsof the present disclosure, loofah puff 140, as shown. Loofah puff 140may include loofah cord loop 142 that extends at least a minimum cordlength L1 from the netted body portion of loofah puff 140, as shown inFIG. 3. Portable container 102 comprises elongated sleeve 120 defininginternal storage space 132 adapted to protectively contain loofah puff140 in a generally compressed state 128 (see, e.g., FIG. 4).

Sleeve 120 further comprises first end 120 a, second end 120 c, andmidsection 122 located between first end 120 a and second end 120 c,first end 120 a and second end 120 c being at opposite ends oflongitudinal axis C-C. First end 120 a is open, as shown in FIG. 4 andFIG. 13, to allow loofah puff 140 to pass into and out of sleeve 120.Transverse upper wall 115 is integrally formed with sleeve 120 at secondend 120 c of sleeve 120, as shown. Transverse upper wall 115 is orientedgenerally perpendicular to longitudinal axis C-C such that transverseupper wall 115 closes second end 120 c of sleeve 120 to block loofahpuff 140 from passing beyond second end 120 c.

As shown in FIG. 2, transverse upper wall 115 includes central hole 119to allow free passage of distal end 143 of loofah cord loop 142 throughtransverse upper wall 115, as shown in FIG. 3. This arrangement allowsuser 20 to hold loofah puff 140 over open first end 120 a of sleeve 120and guide loofah cord loop 142 through sleeve 120 and out of centralhole 119 of transverse upper wall 115 at second end 120 c of elongatesleeve 120. To allow loofah cord loop 142 to pass through sleeve 120,the sleeve is arranged to have sleeve length L2 parallel to longitudinalaxis C-C that is shorter than minimum length L1 of loofah cord loop 142,as shown in FIG. 3.

User 20 may insert loofah puff 140 into container 102 by grasping distalend 143 of loofah cord loop 142 from outside second end 120 c ofelongate sleeve 120 to pull loofah puff 140 into and past large opening130 of first end 120 c of sleeve 120. User 20 continues to pull loofahpuff 140 toward the closed second end 120 c until loofah puff 140 passesthrough opening 130 and into internal storage space 132 of container102, as shown in FIG. 4. Loofah puff 140 will remain securely containedinside container 102, until needed. At this point, user 20 canselectively place lid 180 over opening 130 of container 102 to alloweasy storage and travel of loofah puff 140.

Second ribbon loop 144 of loofah puff 140 is positioned generallyopposite loofah cord loop 142 facilitating pulling compressed loofahpuff 140 away from second end 120 c of elongate sleeve 120 outwardlythrough opening 130 of first end 120 a. FIG. 5 shows user 20 pullingloofah puff 140 out of container 102 using second ribbon loop 144.Second ribbon loop 144 may be attached to loofah puff 140 by tying orotherwise securing second ribbon loop 144 to loofah cord loop 142.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of container 102 with loofah puff140 operatively stored inside container 102 along with bottom lid 180.Once loofah puff 140 is protectively stowed within container 102, theuser can then place lid 180 over the bottom opening 130 of container 102to allow easy storage and travel of loofah puff 140 (see also FIG. 7A,FIG. 7B and FIG. 19 showing lid 180 engaged with container 102). Lid 180is sized to fit inside elongate sleeve 120 for convenient storage,shipping, sales, etc. (by orienting lid 180 so the axis of its greatestlength is similarly oriented to longitudinal axis C-C of container wheninside container). Additionally, lid 180 may include central hole 121 tofacilitate drainage when the lid is attached to loofah puff container102.

In some implementations of the present disclosure, container 102 is soldwith loofah puff 140 to allow the consumer to buy both products at once.Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, personal care article 100 may also bearranged as a kit 160. In some implementations, personal care article100 may include loofah puff 140, portable container 102, lid 180, andinstructions 172 (see FIG. 2). Instructions 172 may detail functionalrelationships in relation to the structure of personal care article 100such that personal care article 100 can be used, maintained, etc.

FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B depict the typical context of use of the personalcare article. In FIG. 7A, loofah puff container 102 is shown resting inits normal orientation on shelf 5 of shower 10, where it takes uprelatively little shelf space. Cord loop 142 is shown visibly extendingout from central hole 119 in transverse upper wall 115 of loofah puffcontainer 102, which indicates in this view that compressed loofah puff140 is protectively housed therein.

When loofah puff 140 is contained inside container 102, longitudinalaxis C-C of container 102 tends to be positioned vertically, as shown.The vertical orientation central longitudinal axis C-C is facilitated bythe design of container 102. For instance, the lowermost edge of themain sleeve 120 of the container 102 has a bottom edge 120 e that issubstantially planar and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis C-C, asindicated by the dashed-line depiction of FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B. Likewise,if that lowermost edge is closed by bottom lid 180, the bottom surfaceof that bottom lid 180 is likewise substantially planar andperpendicular to the longitudinal axis C-C. Hence, when container 102 isconveniently placed to rest on a horizontal shelf such as shelf 5 inshower 10, longitudinal axis C-C of container 102 tends to be positionedvertically, as shown in FIG. 7A. Alternatively, while container 102 canbe hung with cord loop 142 that extends out of a central hole intransverse upper wall 115 of container 102, the longitudinal axis C-C ofcontainer 102 tends to be positioned vertically due to the center ofgravity when it hangs, as shown in FIG. 7B.

For related reasons, the geometric features of container 102 also enablea user to position the container with transverse upper wall 115 facingupward. Such an upward orientation of closed transverse upper wall 115is beneficial because it helps shield the stored loofah puff 140 fromcontaminants that might fall from above container 102, and thecorresponding orientation of container 102 allows moisture to drip outthe open first end 120 a of the container 102 (or central hole 121 ifthe lid 180 is attached), thereby allowing loofah puff 140 to drip drydespite being contained in container 102.

Various design aspects of portable loofah puff container 102 are shownin greater detail in FIGS. 8 to 13. The depicted container may bedescribed as being “doubly flared” in that it flares at both ends (120a, 120 c), and sleeve 120 is “throated” in that it comprises a reducedcross-sectional area in the narrowed midsection 122 between the two ends(120 a, 120 c).

The general shape of transverse upper wall 115 is visible along with acentral hole 119 formed in that transverse upper wall 115. Thetransverse upper wall 115 is preferably integrally formed with sleeve120, such that they are one integral part. With specific reference toFIG. 8, transverse upper wall 115 of the container 102 is preferablyplanar with radius corners that smoothly transition to the adjoiningsidewalls 120 b, as shown. Central hole 119 is preferably situated inthe middle of transverse upper wall 115, as shown in FIG. 9. Centralhole 119 has smooth edges and is generally an appropriately-sized holefor a finger or two of the user's hand to reach in and grasp at leastthe distal end 143 of cord loop 142 attached to loofah puff 140.

As noted above, the longitudinal length of container 102 (and itsdimension along axis C-C) is shorter than the normal length of loofahcord loop 142 of loofah puff 140, thus making make it possible for thedistal end 143 of cord loop 142 to extend through the sleeve and out ofthe central hole 119. For shorter loofah cords, an extra loop of cordmay be added as a cord extension by looping the extra loop through thepre-existing shorter loop and then tucking and pulling it throughitself. In any case, once the distal end 143 is grasped by the user'shand, the entire loofah puff 140 can be pulled into container 102, asillustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The shape of central hole 119 is shownas substantially circular, which is only one of many possible shapes ofa safe-size hole 119.

The transverse upper wall 115 is purposefully shaped, not only for stylebut to help container 102 hold a loofah puff 140 therein. The side edgesof the transverse upper wall 115 are smoothly curved throughout. Thetransverse upper wall 115 of the portable container 102 includes acurvature so that the second end 120 c of the sleeve 120 is edgeless toprevent collection of fluid (water, etc.).

As noted above, large opening 130 (as well as smaller central hole 119)allows air to pass through and water to escape from the interior of thecontainer to facilitate drying. The plastic container 102 may beconstructed of a non-porous material that assists in reducing oreliminating bacteria growth within loofah puff 140 and container 102.

Bottom lid 180 is sized to fit over bottom opening 130 of sleeve 120.This allows the consumer to safely carry the loofah puff 140 for travelpurposes. Thus, loofah puff 140, while it is in the container 102, canbe stored away from other water, soap suds, and bacteria. The advantagesof having loofah puff 140 stored in dry in a safe environment, whichfacilitates safe transport of the device during travel, are many.

With reference to FIGS. 14 to 18, bottom lid 180 is generally planar andsmooth, as shown. Bottom lid 180 has a flange 181 so that it will form atight yet removable fit over opening 130 of container 102. The perimeterflange of bottom lid 180 extends up slightly (according to oneimplementation, approximately 0.76 cm) and the flared character of lowerfirst end 120 a helps ensure a snug fit. The perimeter flange of bottomlid 180 comprises a geometric shape generally matching the open end ofcontainer 102. Bottom lid 180 is preferably constructed from one or moredurable and waterproof plastic polymers or an equivalent. The bottom canbe made by injection, blow molding, or other well-known fabricationmethods.

The unique bottom flare allows container 102 to squeeze the loofah puff140 and to assist in guiding the loofah puff 140 into container 102. Asnoted above, the narrowed midsection of sleeve 120 functions to retainthe loofah puff 140 in place. The bottom flange creates a secure fitaround the cover of container 102. The secure fit allows water to stayin the container 102, which can protect clothes and luggage whentraveling. This will prevent a wet loofah puff 140 from getting thingsaround it wet when it is in the container 102.

The portable containers (102, 210, 310) of the present disclosure may beconstructed from lightweight, durable, and waterproof materials that areeasily recycled at the end of their useful life, such as polyethylene(PE) or similar commercially-available plastic compositions. Container102 is designed to at least last the lifespan of a loofah puff 140,which is preferably about one to six months on average.

The main part of container 102 is formed as one integral piece, whichincludes transverse upper wall 115 as well as the sidewalls 120 b thatmake up sleeve 120. Preferably, sleeve 120 and transverse upper wall 115are molded in the final shape of the container 102 in one step, althoughother manufacturing approaches may be used.

The narrowed midsection 122 enclosing the reduced cross section of thespace inside the sleeve 120 can also be seen in the bottom view of theportable loofah puff container 102 shown in FIG. 10, which shows how thenarrowed midsection 122 is of smaller size than the opening 130 of wideopen first end 120 a. FIG. 10 also shows how narrowed midsection 122 ismore elliptical than opening 130. The wide open aspect of large opening130 is large enough to allow a slightly compressed loofah puff 140 topass into and out of sleeve 120, and the size of the narrowed midsection122 is also large enough to allow passage of loofah puff 140therethrough, albeit slightly more compressed than it is when passingthrough opening 130.

In addition to aesthetics, one purpose of the flared aspect of openfirst end 120 a is to enable receipt and compression of a loofah puff140 as it is being pulled into container 102. As described herein, thenarrowed midsection 122 is beneficial with respect to the drawing in andholding of a loofah puff 140 inside container 102, while also makingcontainer 102 more hand graspable.

FIG. 12 shows a front elevation view of portable loofah puff container102, revealing the front profile of the throated shape of sleeve 120,which provides the main body of container 102. The throated shape ofsidewalls 120 b of container 102 tends to cause compression of theloofah puff 140 as it is pulled into the interior space of the container102. Most loofah puffs are highly compressible and resilient such thatno flexing of container 102 is necessary. Nonetheless, because thecomposition of container 102 allows some flex, the externally concavesidewalls 120 b of the container 102 can flex to enable passage of theloofah puff 140. To the extent the sidewalls 120 b flex when the loofahpuff 140 is pulled therein, the plastic composition of the sidewalls 120b will then compress around the loofah puff 140 to help keep it in placewithin the container 102. Moreover, the inherent elasticity of container102 allows narrowed midsection 122 to slightly expand if necessary, suchas if the loofah puff 140 is too large or gets bunched up as it is beingpulled into container 102. In the reverse direction, the flare of openfirst end 120 a also helps for a more gradual and less wearing processwhen loofah puff 140 is removed from container 102.

The flare at the opposite closed second end 120 c next to transverseupper wall 115 further contributes to the aesthetics but also helpsfunctionality. The flare adjacent the closed end is generally wideenough on upper second end 120 c to allow enough volume to store asizable part of the loofah puff 140 in the compressed state. Theincreased volume in the upper second end 120 c allows some of thecompressed loofah puff 140 to expand therein, which has been observed toassist in drying the loofah puff 140. More importantly, though, theflare in the upper closed second end 120 c helps hold the loofah puff140 inside container 102, as the slightly expanded parts of the loofahpuff would have to be compressed again for the loofah puff 140 to beremoved from the container 102. The tight fit of the container alsoresults in the loofah puff scrubbing the inside of container 102, tohelp inhibit growth of bacteria inside the container 102, which is asmooth plastic material.

The outer surface of sleeve 120 can also contain indicia 124, such asproduct branding information, instructions for use, and advertisementsfor manufactures, travel lodges, and other commercial establishments(see FIG. 1). Upon reading this specification, it should be appreciatedthat, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as userpreferences, design preference, structural requirements, marketingpreferences, cost, available materials, technological advances, etc.,other external arrangements such as, for example, providing additionalbar-codes, molding surface features into the container, applyinganti-bacterial coating to the surfaces, applying rubberized grips,blending selected colorants with the plastics, providing features to“leash” the lid to the containing housing, etc., may be sufficient.

Although one size of container 102 can work for many various sizes ofloofah puffs, the loofah puff 140 being used will best determine thesize of the container 102. The flared ends also help the loofah puff 140retain its shape. For standard sized loofah puffs, the measurement ofthe widest dimension W-W (see FIG. 9) of container 102 could range from9.5 cm to 9.5 cm×5.5 cm. The size of container 102 will increase as thesize of the loofah puff 140 increases.

As noted above, the curvature of container 102 was found to assist inguiding the flow of the loofah puff 140 within container 102. Thecurvature also allows the loofah puff 140 to collapse into itself and tocompress neatly and in a safe manner. In one implementation, thenarrowed midsection 122, which is the narrowest part of the container102, will be between 5.5 cm and 6.5 cm across.

Loofah puff 140 embodies a compressible item having a hanging lineattached thereto. Other compressible items may be used with the sleeveand portable container of the present disclosure. Loofah cord loop 142is a hanging line as it is adapted to hang the loofah puff (see, e.g.,FIG. 7B). The hanging line may be implemented as a cord, loop, rope,ribbon, or other material. The compressible item may also comprise apulling line (e.g., ribbon loop 144). Pulling line is adapted to pullthe compressible item out of the sleeve. In one implementation, pullingline is secured to hanging line (see, e.g., FIG. 24). Pulling line maybe implemented as a cord, loop, rope, ribbon, or other material.

FIG. 8 shows that bottom opening 130 of the container 102 has adifferent shape than that of the transverse upper wall 115. Whereastransverse upper wall 115 has an elliptical shape, the bottom opening130 preferably flattens out to four vertices 125 a, 125 b, 125 c, and125 d. The bottom opening 130 is of sufficient size to allow the loofahpuff 140 to enter the container 102 and become compressed. Morespecifically, in one implementation, bottom opening 130 has dimensions,as measured parallel to plane of symmetry S-S, from about 5.5 cm toabout 7.5 cm. The shape and flare of the bottom first end 120 a isdesigned to guide in the loofah puff 140 without damaging it. While manyloofah puffs are tied much as with a bowtie, the rounded rectangularshape of opening 130 also tends to fold the loofah puff 140 as it isdrawn into container 102.

In general, the shape of container 102 is similar that of an elliptichyperboloid. However, when considered in closer detail, it is a hybridshape that has a transitioning cross section. Considering cross sectionsperpendicular to its central longitudinal axis C-C, the shape of thespace enclosed by sleeve 120 transitions between a generally ellipticalcross section and a generally rounded pseudo-rectangular cross sectionat the open end, as shown. Throughout the length of the sleeve, thecross section is consistently oblong, in that its wide dimension hasconsistently the same orientation relative to its small dimension. Atthe large opening 130, its cross section approaches a smooth rectangulargeometry having convex sides, as viewable in FIG. 9. At the narrowedmidsection, the cross-section of the sleeve has a smooth geometriccross-sectional shape, which may be described as rounded or elliptical.In the portion between the narrowed midsection 122 and transverse upperwall 115, its cross section gradually increases in size again,transitioning from the smoothly rounded throat toward the roundedpseudo-rectangular of the transverse upper wall 115, as shown.

FIG. 21 is an elevation view of an alternate portable loofah puffcontainer 210. Portable loofah puff container 210 is shown in use inconjunction with loofah puff 140 in a view closely analogous with theview of FIG. 3, albeit showing container 210 rather than container 102.FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of the alternate container 210of FIG. 21, with loofah puff 140 operatively stored inside container210, uniquely showing alternate bottom lid 280 that, when desired, canbe used to close the main opening, in a view closely analogous with theview of FIG. 6, albeit showing container 210 rather than container 102.

Referring to FIG. 21 and FIG. 22 together, the large opening 230 iscircular in shape to allow for an easy pull of the loofah puff 140 intocontainer 210. Opposite the wide open end of the container 210, itsother end is generally closed, at least enough to block the loofah puff140 from being easily pulled or pushed out that end. Despite the closednature of that opposite end, however, the closed end has a sizablecentral hole through which the cord loop of the loofah puff 140 can bepulled. The contour of the container 210 works together with the hole sothat, with a loofah puff 140 positioned next to the large opening andits cord loop hanging into the container 210 and out through the centralhole on the opposite end, the loofah puff 140 can then be neatly drawninto the container 210 by pulling on the loofah cord loop 142. As asecondary benefit of having the loop cord extend out of the central hole219, the entire container 210 can also be hung in a shower much the sameas a loofah puff 140 often is. The combination of the flared opening andthe circular cross-sectional aspect of the sidewalls 220 b also givescontainer 210 a stylish shape. Once the loofah puff 140 has been drawninto container 210 most of the way, the cylindrical container 210 usesthe elasticity of the loofah puff 140 to hold it within the container210, despite its inherent tendency to re-expand. Implementations ofcontainer 210 may also have an end cap or lid 280 to close the open endof the sleeve when desired. As above, the lid 280 may include anaperture 282, as shown. Aperture 282 of lid is sized such that loofahpuff 140 cannot pass through aperture 282 of lid.

Both of the above-described implementations incorporate elongatedsleeves as a main part of the container with one end of such sleevespreferably fully open, while the other end is generally closed. As isthe case with most implementations of the present disclosure, bothstyles as shown also have a shape that is centric and symmetrical, aswill be described further herein. Such “centric” shape indicates thatthe bulk of the shape generally centers around a longitudinal centralaxis. Such “symmetrical” shape is in reference to the generalsymmetrical of the sleeve about one or more planes of symmetry thatintersect the longitudinal central axis of the shape. For instance, withreference to container 102 of FIG. 1 through FIG. 20, its shape iscentric in that it centers around the longitudinal central axis C-C.Also, with reference to container 102, its shape is symmetrical in thatit is symmetrical about two planes of symmetry W-W and S-S thatintersect the longitudinal central axis C-C of the container (see FIG.9). For container 102, the planes of symmetry W-W and S-S intersect thelongitudinal central axis C-C and are orthogonal to each other.

Nonetheless, there are some functional and aesthetic differences betweenthe two styles of implementations of container 102 and container 210that are shown in the drawings. For instance, in the first version, thesleeve 120 is “doubly-flared” whereas the second version contains asingle flare located at the opening 230 of container 210. The sleeve 220of container 210 has a circular perpendicular cross section throughoutits length, whereas the sleeve 120 of container 102 has consistentlyoblong perpendicular cross sections throughout its length. The term“oblong,” is defined as a shape having a perpendicular cross sectionthat is wider in one direction than in a second direction that isorthogonal to the first direction. With reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10,for instance, the shape of the perpendicular cross section of sleeve 120at its open first end 120 a is the shape of its opening 130, which isoblong in that it is wider in the direction of the plane of symmetry W-Wand it is narrowest in the direction of the orthogonal plane of symmetryS-S. Because of its oblong, narrowed at the midsection and doubly flaredcharacteristics, sleeve 120 therefore can be referred to as anoblongly-cylindrical sleeve with doubly-flared ends. Its resultingoverall shape also has an appearance much like a single-sheeted elliptichyperboloid.

The combined features and overall functionality of such implementationsmake them ideal for cleanly containing a loofah puff 140, which can beused for tidily containing such a loofah puff 140 over a bath or in ashower, and which can also be used to cleanly store it in luggage duringtravel.

FIG. 23 through FIG. 28 show various views, illustrating loofah puff240, according to an implementation of the present disclosure. Loofahpuff 240 includes an unusual second ribbon loop 144, in addition to theprimary cord loop 242. In the depicted implementation, the ribbon loop144 is a loop of flat polymer fabric that has been added to thealternate loofah puff 240 by tying it to an internal central knot 248 ofthe puff structure (see FIG. 24), although strings or other materialcould be used rather than a ribbon material, and other connectiontechniques would likely be equivalent. To best serve its purpose inenabling removal of loofah puff 240 from the containers, the ribbon loop144 is tied to the central knot 248 in an orientation to extend fromthat knot in the opposite direction from that of cord loop 242, asshown. The ribbon loop 144 is shown here as a unique enhancement to theloofah puff 240, to facilitate its use with container 102 and container210; however, it should be noted that the ribbon loop 144 could bereplaced by a second cord, string, tab or the like, which are similarlyconnectable to the loofah puff 140 and alternate loofah puff 240.Moreover, the cord loop 242 that extends from the loofah puff 240 in theopposite direction may alternately be supplied as a ribbon, string, tab,or the like. The cord loop 242 may comprise a multi-strand braded cord,as best shown in the enlarged detail view of FIG. 25.

Cord loop 242 may be constructed from a durable and waterproof polymersuch as polyethylene or nylon. Upon reading this specification, itshould be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances, consideringsuch issues as user preferences, design preference, structuralrequirements, marketing preferences, cost, available materials,technological advances, etc., other cord arrangements such as, forexample, providing additional cord loops, utilizing alternate materials,etc., may be sufficient.

FIG. 29 depicts top wall 315 of container 310 of alternate personal caredevice 300. With reference to FIG. 29, the general shape of top wall 315is shown along with the central hole 319 in the top wall 315. Thecentral hole 319 is shown situated in the middle of top wall 315, asshown. Central hole 319 has smooth edges and is generally a safe sizehole for a finger or two of a user to reach in and grasp at least thedistal end 143 of the cord loop 142 attached to the loofah puff 140 (seeFIG. 32). As above, the length of container 310 (and its dimension alongaxis C-C) is shorter than the normal length of the loofah cord loop 142of loofah puff 140 to allow the end of the cord loop 142 to extend outof central hole 319, as shown.

The shape of central hole 319 is shown as substantially circular, whichis only one of many possible shapes of the hole 319.

The side edges of the top wall 315 come together at two points 324 a and324 b, while those specific side edges are otherwise smoothly curvedthroughout. FIG. 30 shows a front elevation view of the alternateportable loofah puff container 310 of FIG. 29, revealing the frontprofile of the throated shape of the sleeve 320, which provides the mainbody of container 310. As with the prior implementations, throat 322encloses a reduced cross section of the space inside the sleeve 320, inthe midsection 320 b of said sleeve 320. The throated aspect ofcontainer 310 can also be seen in the bottom view of the alternateportable loofah puff container 310 shown in FIG. 31, which shows howthroat 322 is of smaller size than the opening 330 of wide open end 320a.

FIG. 31 also shows how the throat 322 is more smooth and elliptical thanthe opening 330. The wide open aspect of the large opening 330 is largeenough to allow a slightly compressed loofah puff 140 to pass into andout of sleeve 320, and the size of throat 322 is also large enough toallow passage of loofah puff 140 therethrough, albeit slightly morecompressed than it is when passing through opening 330. As previouslydescribed, the throat 322 serves various benefits in drawing and holdinga loofah puff 140 inside container 310, while also making container 310more graspable.

FIGS. 32 and 33 are elevation views of the alternate portable loofahpuff container 310 of FIG. 29 during its use in conjunction with loofahpuff 140, with FIG. 32 illustrating a preferred manner of drawing theloofah puff 140 into the container 310, and FIG. 33 illustrating apreferred manner of drawing the loofah puff 140 out of the container 310using the ribbon loop 144.

The top wall 315 is transversely oriented across the generally closedend 320 c of the sleeve 320, and is thusly oriented generallyperpendicular to the longitudinal central axis C-C. Thus, the top wall315 closes the end 320 c of sleeve 320 to block a loofa puff 140 frompassing into or out of that end 320 c of sleeve 320. Despite itsgenerally closed nature, top wall 315 has a central hole 319therethrough, which is large enough to allow free passage of a distalend of the loofah cord loop 142 of a loofah puff 140, as shown.

Given the spatial relationship between large opening 330 and the smallerhole 319, user 20 is easily able to hold loofah puff 140 over the wideopen end 320 a of sleeve 320 in a manner such that the distal end of theloofah cord loop 142 of said loofah puff 140 hangs through sleeve 320and out the central hole 319, as shown in FIG. 32. When the loop 142 ishanging through in this manner, the user 20 can then grasp the loofahcord loop 142 from outside said closed end 320 c of the sleeve 320, topull the loofah puff 140 into the other, wide open end 320 a of sleeve320 by pulling on the loofah cord loop 142. Referring to FIG. 30 formore detail, the main part of container 310 is one integral piece, whichincludes top wall 315 as well as the sidewalls that make up sleeve 320.In addition to aesthetics, the main purpose for the flared aspect of theopen end 320 a is to enable receipt and compression of a loofah puff 140as it is being pulled into container 310. The container 310 also hassome elasticity that allows throat 322 to slightly expand if necessary,such as if the loofah puff 140 is too large or gets bunched up as it isbeing pulled into container 310. In the reverse direction, the flare ofopen end 320 a also helps for a more gradual and less wearing processwhen the loofah puff 140 is removed from container 310.

The flare at the opposite end 320 c next to the top wall 315 not onlyfurther contributes to the aesthetics but also helps functionality. Thisflare is generally wide enough on upper end 320 c to allow enough volumeto store a sizable part of the compressed loofah puff 140. The increasedvolume in the upper end 320 c allows some of the compressed loofah puff140 to expand therein, which may help in drying the puff 140. Moreimportantly, though, the flare in the upper end 320 c helps hold thepuff 140 inside container 310, as the slightly expanded parts of theloofah puff would have to be compressed again for the loofah puff 140 tobe removed from the container 310. The tight fit of the container causesthe puff to scrub the inside of container 310, to help destroy anybacteria growing inside the container 310.

As above, the container 310 is made up of a polymer, a hard plastic, oran equivalent in the art. The main body of the container 310 will be asmooth plastic. The outer surface of the sleeve 320 can also containadvertisements for manufactures, travel lodges, and other commercialestablishments.

FIG. 31 shows that the bottom opening 330 of the container 310 has adifferent shape than that of the top wall 315. Whereas top wall 315 hasan almond shape that formed two vertices 324 a and 324 b, the bottomopening 330 preferably flattens out to four vertices 325 a-325 d. Thebottom opening 330 is large enough to allow the loofah puff 140 to enterthe container 310 and become compressed. The shape and flare of thebottom end 320 a is designed to guide in the loofah puff 140 withoutdamaging it.

As viewed in FIG. 34, when a loofah puff 140 is contained inside thecontainer 310, the longitudinal axis C-C of container 310 tends to bepositioned vertically. The vertical orientation central longitudinalaxis C-C is encouraged by the design of container 310.

For instance, the lowermost edge of the main sleeve 320 of container 310has a bottom edge that is substantially planar and perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis C-C. Likewise, if that lowermost edge is closed bybottom cap 380, the bottom surface of that bottom cap 380 is likewisesubstantially planar and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis C-C.Hence, when container 310 is conveniently placed to rest on a horizontalshelf such as shelf in a shower (see, e.g., FIG. 7A), the longitudinalaxis C-C of container 310 tends to be positioned vertically.Alternatively, while container 310 can be hung with the cord loop 142that extends out a central hole in top wall 315 of container 310, thelongitudinal axis C-C of container 310 tends to be positioned verticallydue to the center of gravity when it hangs (see, e.g., FIG. 7B).

For related reasons, the features of container 310 also cause a user toposition the container with top wall 315 facing upward. Such an upwardorientation of top wall 315 is beneficial because it helps shield thestored loofah puff 140 from contaminants that might fall from abovecontainer 310, and the corresponding orientation of container 310 allowsmoisture to drip out the open end 320 a of container 310, therebyallowing loofa puff 140 to drip dry despite being contained.

FIG. 32 and FIG. 33 are different perspective views of container 310,showing detailed aspects of its overall shape. In general, the shape ofcontainer 310 is similar that of an elliptic hyperboloid. However, whenconsidered in closer detail, it is a hybrid shape that has atransitioning cross section. Considering cross sections perpendicular toits central longitudinal axis C-C, the shape of the space enclosed bysleeve 320 transitions. Throughout the length of that enclosed space, itis consistently oblong, in that its wide dimension has consistently thesame orientation relative to its small dimension. At the large open end330, its cross section has an almost rhomboid shape, as viewable in FIG.31.

Then, at its narrowest or most throated point 322, the space'scross-section has its smoothest shape, which may be described as roundedor elliptical. In the portion between throat 322 and top wall 315, itscross section gradually increases in size again, transitioning from thesmoothly rounded throat toward the eye-like, mandorla shape (also knownas vesica piscis) of the top wall 315, which tapers to two oppositecorners 324 a and 324 b.

FIG. 34 is an exploded perspective view of container 310 with loofahpuff 140 operatively stored inside container 310, uniquely showingbottom cap 380 that, when desired, can be used to close the main opening330 of container 310. Cap 380 may contain an opening as described abovewith respect to other implementations.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing an alternate lid 480 attached to aportable loofah puff container 102 having a first end 120 a modified toform a snap-fit engagement with the alternate lid 480, according toanother embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 36 is a topperspective view of alternate lid 480 shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 37 is abottom perspective view of alternate lid 480 shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 38is a front view of alternate lid 480 shown in FIG. 35. FIG. 39 is asectional view through the section 39-39 of FIG. 37, showing thefeatures of alternate lid 480 in greater detail. FIG. 40 is a sectionalview through the section 40-40 of FIG. 35, showing alternate lid 480 ofFIG. 35 removably attached to portable loofah puff container 102.

The lid implementation illustrated in FIG. 35 to FIG. 40 issubstantially similar to that of FIG. 1 to FIG. 20, as is indicated bythe like reference numerals. This alternative implementation differsfrom the other only to the extent of the differences discussed in thefollowing paragraphs. FIG. 35 shows an alternate lid 480 attached to aportable loofah puff container 102 having a first end 120 a modified toallow a snap-fit engagement with the alternate lid 480 to be achieved.

Referring to FIG. 37, alternate lid 480 includes an annular snap-jointassembly 402 adapted to firmly but separably secure the lid to modifiedfirst end 120 a of the portable loofah puff container 102. The annularsnap-joint assembly 402 includes an annular flange 481 outwardlyprojecting from the alternate lid 480. The annular flange 481 includes acontinuous recess 406 extending circumferentially about the base of theannular flange 481, as best shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG.39. The front view of FIG. 38 shows the relationship of the projectingannular flange 481 and continuous recess 406 relative to the planar bodyof the alternate lid 480.

FIG. 40 is a sectional view through the section 40-40 of FIG. 35,showing the alternate lid 480 of FIG. 35 attached to the portable loofahpuff container 102. As shown in FIG. 40, the first end 120 a of theportable loofah puff container 102 is modified to include a projection412 extending into the interior of the large opening of the first end120 a. In one implementation, projection 412 is limited to opposingsides of first end 120 a. In another implementation, projection 412 mayextend circumferentially about first end 120 a.

In use, alternate lid 480 may be securely attached to the portableloofah puff container 102 by passing the annular flange 481 of the lidthrough large opening of the first end 120 a and by continuing to pressthe lid toward the interior of the sleeve until the recess 406 of theannular flange 481 engages the projections 412 of the sleeve in aninterlocked relationship, as best shown in FIG. 40. The shapes of theannular recess 406 and projections 412 are cooperatively configured suchthat the alternate lid 480 and the portable loofah puff container 102may be readily separable by the user, as needed.

FIG. 41 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 500 of use for theabove-described personal care devices, according to an implementation ofthe present disclosure. As illustrated, method 500 may include the stepsof: step one, 501, providing in combination, a container, a loofah puffhaving a loofah puff cord, and a lid sized to fit over the open firstend of the sleeve of such container (as generally described in FIG. 1through FIG. 34); step two, 502, pulling the loofah puff cord throughthe central hole of the second end until the loofah puff is positionedinside the elongate sleeve; step three, 503, storing the containercontaining the loofah puff; and step four, 504, capping the first endwith the lid prior to storing the container.

It should be noted that step 504 is an optional step and may not beimplemented in all cases. Optional steps of method 500 are illustratedusing dotted lines in FIG. 41 to distinguish them from the other stepsof method 500. It should also be noted that the steps described in themethod of use can be carried out in many different orders according touser preference.

In summary, the present disclosure describes personal care devices, eachone including a portable container for cleanly containing a loofah puff,which can be used for tidily containing such a loofah puff over a bathor in a shower, and which can also be used to cleanly store it inluggage during travel. The container is more or less in the form of acontoured sleeve, with one end that is wide open for allowing the loofahpuff to be put in or removed from the container, and an opposite endthat is substantially closed but has a central hole through which theloofah puff's cord can be pulled to neatly draw the loofah puff into thesleeve and then leave the cord exposed so that the container with theloofah puff inside can be hung by the loofah cord if desired. The shapeof the sleeve has several unique aspects which in one aspect tends tobias the loofah puff in an ideal orientation for folded compression asthe loofah puff is drawn into the container, and which in another aspectuses the elasticity of the loofah puff to hold it within the sleeve onceit is drawn all the way or most of the way into the sleeve.

While the present invention has been described with respect to variousimplementations, many modifications and variations can be made topersons skilled in the art, particularly when these descriptions and theaccompanying illustrations are thoughtfully contemplated considering themany teachings of the prior art.

1. A portable container for a loofah puff, the loofah puff having aloofah cord loop that extends at least a minimum cord length from saidloofah puff, said portable container for a loofah puff comprising: anelongate sleeve defining a storage space therein to contain said loofahpuff in a compressed state, said elongate sleeve having a longitudinalaxis and having a sleeve length parallel to said longitudinal axis thatis shorter than the minimum cord length of the loofah cord loop of saidloofah puff, and said elongate sleeve further having first and secondends and a midsection between said first and second ends, said first andsecond ends being at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis, and saidfirst end being open to allow a compressed loofah puff to pass into andout of said elongate sleeve; a transverse wall integrally formed withsaid elongate sleeve at said second end of said elongate sleeve, saidtransverse wall being oriented generally perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis such that said transverse wall closes said second endof said elongate sleeve to block said loofah puff from passing into orout of said second end of said elongate sleeve, said transverse wallhaving a central hole therethrough for allowing free passage of a distalend of the loofah cord loop of said loofah puff through said transversewall, such that a user is able to hold said loofah puff over said openfirst end of said elongate sleeve in a manner such that the loofah cordloop of said loofah puff hangs through said elongate sleeve and out ofthe central hole of said transverse wall at said second end of saidelongate sleeve, and the user can grasp said distal end of the loofahcord loop from outside said second end of said elongate sleeve to pullsaid loofah puff into said first end of said sleeve by pulling on theloofah cord loop of said loofah puff; and a throat of reduced crosssection formed in the midsection of said elongate sleeve.
 2. Theportable container of claim 1, said transverse wall comprises acurvature so that said second end of said elongate sleeve is edgeless toprevent collection of fluid.
 3. The portable container of claim 1,comprising the loofah puff.
 4. The portable container of claim 3, theloofah puff comprising a second loop positioned opposite said loofahcord loop facilitating pulling the compressed loofah puff away from saidsecond end of said elongate sleeve.
 5. The portable container of claim4, said second loop is secured to said loofah cord loop.
 6. The portablecontainer of claim 1, further comprising a lid sized to engage said openfirst end of said elongate sleeve.
 7. The portable container of claim 6,said lid comprising a central hole.
 8. The portable container of claim6, said lid comprising a flange that extends upward from said lid. 9.The portable container of claim 8, said lid further comprising recessportions, and a bottom portion of said first end comprises projectionportions structured and configured to engage said recess portions ofsaid lid securing said lid to said first end.
 10. The portable containerof claim 7, said lid comprising a flange that extends upward from saidlid.
 11. The portable container of claim 10, said lid further comprisingrecess portions, and a bottom portion of said first end comprisesprojection portions structured and configured to engage said recessportions of said lid securing said lid to said first end.
 12. A portablecontainer for a loofah puff, comprising: a loofah puff having a loofahcord loop that extends at least a minimum cord length from said loofahpuff, an elongate sleeve defining a storage space therein to containsaid loofah puff in a compressed state, said elongate sleeve having alongitudinal axis and having a sleeve length parallel to saidlongitudinal axis that is shorter than the minimum cord length of theloofah cord loop of said loofah puff, and said elongate sleeve furtherhaving first and second ends and a midsection between said first andsecond ends, said first and second ends being at opposite ends of saidlongitudinal axis, and said first end being open to allow a compressedloofah puff to pass into and out of said elongate sleeve; a transversewall integrally formed with said elongate sleeve at said second end ofsaid elongate sleeve, said transverse wall being oriented generallyperpendicular to said longitudinal axis such that said transverse wallcloses said second end of said elongate sleeve to block said loofah pufffrom passing into or out of said second end of said elongate sleeve,said transverse wall having a central hole therethrough for allowingfree passage of a distal end of the loofah cord loop of said loofah puffthrough said transverse wall, such that a user is able to pull saidloofah puff into said first end of said sleeve by pulling on the loofahcord loop of said loofah puff; and a throat of reduced cross sectionformed in the midsection of said elongate sleeve.
 13. The portablecontainer for a loofah puff of claim 12, said transverse wall comprisinga curvature so that said second end of said elongate sleeve is edgelessto prevent collection of fluid.
 14. The portable container for a loofahpuff of claim 13 further comprising a lid sized to fit over said openfirst end of said elongate sleeve.
 15. The portable container for aloofah puff of claim 14, said lid comprising a central hole.
 16. Theportable container for a loofah puff of claim 12, said loofah puffcomprising a second loop positioned opposite said loofah cord loopfacilitating pulling the compressed loofah puff away from said secondend of said elongate sleeve.
 17. The portable container for a loofahpuff of claim 16, said second loop being secured to said loofah cordloop.
 18. A portable container for a loofah puff having a loofah cordloop that extends at least a minimum cord length from said loofah puffcomprising: an elongate sleeve defining a storage space therein tocontain said loofah puff in a compressed state, said elongate sleevehaving a longitudinal axis and having a sleeve length parallel to saidlongitudinal axis that is shorter than the minimum cord length of theloofah cord loop of said loofah puff, and said elongate sleeve furtherhaving first and second ends and a midsection between said first andsecond ends, said first and second ends being at opposite ends of saidlongitudinal axis, and said first end being open to allow a compressedloofah puff to pass into and out of said elongate sleeve; a transversewall integrally formed with said elongate sleeve at said second end ofsaid elongate sleeve, said transverse wall being oriented generallyperpendicular to said longitudinal axis such that said transverse wallcloses said second end of said elongate sleeve to block said loofah pufffrom passing into or out of said second end of said elongate sleeve,said transverse wall having a central hole therethrough for allowingfree passage of a distal end of the loofah cord loop of said loofah puffthrough said transverse wall, such that a user is able to pull saidloofah puff into said first end of said sleeve by pulling on the loofahcord loop of said loofah puff.
 19. A portable container for containing acompressible item having a hanging line attached thereto, said portablecontainer comprising: a sleeve comprising a first end and a second end,said first end comprising a first opening and said second end comprisinga second opening; said first opening is larger than said second openingsuch that the compressible item can pass through said first opening butcannot pass through said second opening; and said sleeve is configuredto compress the compressible item having a hanging line as the hangingline is pulled through said second opening to force the compressibleitem through said first opening and into said sleeve to store thecompressible item in a compressed state within the sleeve.
 20. Theportable container of claim 19 further comprising a lid to engage thefirst opening and to close said first end so that the compressible itemcannot pass through said first end with said lid engaged to said firstend.
 21. The portable container of claim 20 said lid comprising a thirdopening.
 22. The portable container of claim 19 further comprising thecompressible item.
 23. The portable container of claim 22 saidcompressible item comprising a pulling line positioned opposite saidhanging line.
 24. A method of storing a loofah puff comprising the stepsof: providing a loofah puff having a loofah cord loop that extends atleast a minimum cord length from said loofah puff and a second looppositioned opposite said loofah cord loop and a portable container for aloofah puff; said portable container for a loofah puff comprising anelongate sleeve defining a storage space therein to contain a loofahpuff in a compressed state, said elongate sleeve having a longitudinalaxis and having a sleeve length parallel to said longitudinal axis thatis shorter than the minimum cord length of the loofah cord loop of saidloofah puff, and said elongate sleeve further having first and secondends and a midsection between said first and second ends, said first andsecond ends being at opposite ends of said longitudinal axis, and saidfirst end being open to allow a compressed loofah puff to pass into andout of said elongate sleeve; and a transverse wall integrally formedwith said elongate sleeve at said second end of said elongate sleeve,said transverse wall being oriented generally perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis such that said transverse wall closes said second endof said elongate sleeve to block said loofah puff from passing into orout of said second end of said elongate sleeve, said transverse wallhaving a central hole therethrough for allowing free passage of a distalend of the loofah cord loop of said loofah puff through said transversewall, such that a user is able to pull said loofah puff into said firstend of said sleeve by pulling on the loofah cord loop of said loofahpuff; pulling the loofah cord loop through said central hole of saidsecond end until the loofah puff is inside the elongate sleeve to storethe loofah puff; and storing the container containing the loofah puff.25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step removing theloofah puff from the portable container for a loofah puff by pulling onsaid second loop of said loofah puff.
 26. The method of claim 24 furthercomprising the step of providing a lid to cap said first end of saidportable container for a loofah puff and capping said first end with thelid prior to the step of storing the container containing the loofahpuff.